Many U.S. ethanol plants have halted production over the past year, mostly because the drought has made it difficult to get locally produced corn. Most plan to restart, but it may not be until the 2013 corn crop is harvested in September.

Below is a list of idled plants and the month they ceased operation:

NEBRASKA

Midwest Renewable Energy LLC in Sutherland, February 2012.

NEDAK Ethanol, in Atkinson, June.

Valero-Albion in Albion, June.

Aventine in Aurora-East, September.

Abengoa in York, January.

Abengoa in Ravenna, January.

INDIANA

Valero in North Linden, June.

New Energy Corp. in South Bend, November.

MINNESOTA

Central Minnesota Ethanol Co-op in Little Falls, August.

Biofuel Energy in Fairmont, September.

NORTH DAKOTA

ADM in Wallhalla, March.

ARIZONA

Pinal Energy in Maricopa, July.

KANSAS

East Kansas Agri-Energy in Garnett, August.

ILLINOIS

Aventine-dry mill in Pekin, September.

GEORGIA

Southwest Georgia Ethanol in Camilla, October.

MISSISSIPPI

Bunge-Ergon in Vicksburg, November.

OHIO

Valero in Bloomingburg, December.

MISSOURI

POET in Macon, January.

TEXAS

White Energy in Plainview, January.

CALIFORNIA

Aemetis in Keyes, January.